Fan impeller structure

ABSTRACT

A fan impeller structure includes a frame body, a cover body and a hub. The frame body has a receiving space. The cover body has a wind inlet in communication with the receiving space. The hub is rotatably disposed in the receiving space and has multiple blades annularly arranged on a circumference of the hub. Each blade has a top end and a bottom end. The top end has a projection extending from the top end toward the cover body. An axial space is defined between the blades and the hub. The projections formed at the top ends of the blades are able to effectively prevent the air flowing within the receiving space from escaping. Accordingly, the wind pressure and wind intensity are enhanced to achieve an excellent heat dissipation effect.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a fan impeller structure, and more particularly to an improved fan impeller structure, which has higher wind pressure and higher wind intensity to provide excellent heat dissipation effect.

2. Description of the Related Art

Following the rapid advance of electronic and information technologies, all kinds of electronic products (such as desktop computers and laptops) have been more and more popularly used and widely applied to various fields. There is a trend to miniaturize the size and thin the thickness of the electronic products.

As exemplified with a laptop, the thickness of the laptop is thinner and thinner. Consequently, due to limitation of the space, the heat generated by the electronic components inside the laptop, such as the central processing unit (CPU) and south/north bridge chipset, can be hardly efficiently dissipated. In this case, the heat will accumulate to cause a rise of temperature.

In order to avoid temporary or permanent failure of the laptop due to overheating of the CPU, conventionally, a thin-type fan (or so-called blower) is directly disposed on the CPU to forcedly quickly dissipate the heat generated by the CPU to external environment so as to keep the CPU normally working at high speed.

Please refer to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C. FIG. 1A is a perspective assembled view of a conventional blower. FIG. 1B is perspective exploded view of the conventional blower. FIG. 1C is sectional view of the conventional blower. The blower includes a frame body 10, a cover body 12 and an impeller 14. The frame body 10 has a receiving space 101 for receiving the impeller 14. The frame body 10 further has a wind outlet 103 through which the air is exhausted from the receiving space 101.

Please refer to FIGS. 1B and 1C. The impeller 14 has multiple blades 141 annularly arranged on the circumference of the impeller 14. The impeller 14 is rotatably disposed in the receiving space 101. The cover body 12 has a wind inlet 121 in communication with the receiving space 101. The cover body 12 is mated with the frame body 10 to form the blower.

When the impeller 14 operates, the external air is sucked through the wind inlet 121 into the receiving space 101 to create an axial flow 15 between the impeller 14 and the blades 141. Under the centrifugal force of the impeller 14, the axial flow 15 is converted into a radial flow 16. The radial flow 16 is guided by the blades 141 to flow out from the wind outlet 103 so as to dissipate heat.

The heat dissipation effect of the conventional blower is poor. This is because there is a gap 17 between the cover body 12 and the blades 141 in the receiving space 101. The radial flow 16 is likely to partially escape from the wind inlet 121 through the gap 17. This leads to pressure relief phenomenon (or so-called wind leak phenomenon). As a result, the wind pressure and wind intensity exhausted from the blower will apparently decrease. That is, the conventional blower can hardly provide sufficient wind pressure and wind intensity. Therefore, the heat dissipation effect provided by the conventional blower is poor. According to the above, the conventional blower has the following shortcomings:

1. The conventional blower can hardly provide sufficient wind pressure and wind intensity.

2. The heat dissipation effect provided by the conventional blower is poor.

3. The radial flow is likely to partially escape from the wind inlet through the gap between the cover body and the blades in the receiving space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved fan impeller structure, which has enhanced wind pressure and wind intensity.

A further object of the present invention is to provide the above fan impeller structure, which is able to provide excellent heat dissipation effect.

To achieve the above and other objects, the fan impeller structure of the present invention includes a frame body, a cover body and a hub. The frame body has a receiving space. The cover body has a wind inlet in communication with the receiving space. The hub is rotatably disposed in the receiving space and has multiple blades annularly arranged on a circumference of the hub. Each blade has a top end and a bottom end. The top end has a projection extending from the top end toward the cover body. An axial space is defined between the blades and the hub. The projections formed at the top ends of the blades are able to effectively prevent the air flowing within the receiving space from escaping. Accordingly, the wind pressure and wind intensity are enhanced to achieve an excellent heat dissipation effect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A is a perspective assembled view of a conventional blower;

FIG. 1B is perspective exploded view of the conventional blower;

FIG. 1C is sectional assembled view of the conventional blower;

FIG. 2A is a perspective assembled view of a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a perspective exploded view of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3A is another perspective assembled view of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3B is another perspective exploded view of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a sectional assembled view of the first embodiment of the present invention in a first aspect;

FIG. 4B is a sectional assembled view of the first embodiment of the present invention in a second aspect;

FIG. 4C is a sectional assembled view of the first embodiment of the present invention in a third aspect;

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the hub of the present invention;

FIG. 5B is a perspective view of another hub of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective exploded view of a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6A is a sectional assembled view of the second embodiment of the present invention in a first aspect;

FIG. 6B is a sectional assembled view of the second embodiment of the present invention in a second aspect;

FIG. 7A is a sectional assembled view of the second embodiment of the present invention in a third aspect;

FIG. 7B is a sectional assembled view of the second embodiment of the present invention in a fourth aspect;

FIG. 8A is a sectional assembled view of the second embodiment of the present invention in a fifth aspect;

FIG. 8B is a sectional assembled view of the second embodiment of the present invention in a sixth aspect; and

FIG. 9 is a wind pressure versus wind intensity curve diagram of the present invention and the conventional blower.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A and 4B. According to a first embodiment, the fan impeller structure of the present invention includes a frame body 2, a cover body 3 and a hub 4. The frame body 2 has a receiving space 20 for receiving the hub 4. The frame body 2 further has a wind outlet 22 formed on one side of the frame body 2 in communication with the receiving space 20.

The cover body 3 has a wind inlet 31 in communication with the receiving space 20. The hub 4 is rotatably disposed in the receiving space 20. The hub 4 has multiple blades 41 annularly arranged on the circumference of the hub 4. Each blade 41 has a top end 411 and a bottom end 412. The top end 411 has a projection 42 extending from the top end 411 to the cover body 3. An axial space 5 is defined between the blades 41 and the hub 4. The air is guided from the wind inlet 31 into the receiving space 20 to form an axial flow 6 within the axial space 5.

The projections 42 of the top ends 411 of the blades 41 can be positioned at regular intervals (not shown) or at irregular intervals (as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B) or without any interval (as shown in FIGS. 2B and 3B). The projection 42 has three aspects. FIGS. 4A and 2B show a first aspect in which the projection 42 has a first extension section 421 protruding from the top end 411 of the blade 41 in adjacency to an inner side of the blade 41, that is, one side of the blade 41 proximal to the hub 4. The first extension section 421 protrudes into the wind inlet 31 of the cover body 3.

The first extension section 421 has a first flow guide side 4211 facing the edge of the wind inlet 31. A first flow way 43 is formed between the first flow guide side 4211 and the edge of the wind inlet 31 in communication with the wind inlet 31 and the receiving space 20. Slight air is guided from the wind inlet 31 of the cover body 3 through the first flow way 43 into the receiving space 20.

In addition, each two adjacent blades 41 are interconnected by a connection section 47. The connection section 47 extends between the top ends 411 of the blades 41 in adjacency to the outer sides thereof. The connection sections 47 are connected in an annular form.

FIGS. 3B and 4B show a second aspect in which the projection 42 has a second extension section 423 protruding from the top end 411 of the blade 41 in adjacency to the outer side of the blade 41. The second extension section 423 has a second flow guide side 4231 distal from the wind inlet 31. Slight air in the wind inlet 31 of the cover body 3 will create slight wind pressure between the second flow guide side 4231 and the wind inlet 31 to help in preventing the air flowing within the receiving space 20 from escaping out of the wind inlet 31. However, the air in the receiving space 20 is prevented from escaping out of the wind inlet 31 mainly by means of the second extension section 423.

Similar to the first aspect, in the second aspect, each two adjacent blades 41 are interconnected by a connection section 47 in adjacency to the outer sides of the blades 41. The second aspect is different from the first aspect in that the connection sections 47 extend between the top ends 411 of the blades 41 in adjacency to the outer sides of the blades 41 and are connected between the second extension sections 423 of the projections 42 in an annular form.

FIGS. 4C, 2B and 3B show a third aspect, which is a combination of the first and second aspects. In the third aspect, the projection 42 has a first extension section 421 and a second extension section 423. The first and second extension sections 421, 423 respectively protrude from the top end 411 of the blade 41 in adjacency to the inner and outer sides of the blade 41. The first and second extension sections 421, 423 are substantially identical to the first and second aspects in structure, connection relationship and effect and thus will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. The third aspect is mainly different from the first and second aspects in that the first and second extension sections 421, 423 together define a substantially U-shaped stop space 46 in communication with the first flow way 43 and the wind inlet 31. Slight air in the wind inlet 31 of the cover body 3 is guided through the first flow way 43 into the stop space 46, whereby slight wind pressure is created in the stop space 46 to restrain the air in the receiving space 20 from escaping out of the receiving space 20. The first and second extension sections 421, 423 serve to prevent the air flowing within the receiving space 20 from escaping out of the wind inlet 31.

The connection sections 47 of the third aspect are arranged in positions identical to that of the second aspect and thus will not be further described hereinafter.

All of the above aspects of projections 42 can effectively prevent the air flowing within the receiving space 20 from escaping out of the wind inlet 31. Accordingly, the wind intensity and wind pressure exhausted from the wind outlet 22 are enhanced. FIG. 9 is a wind pressure versus wind intensity curve diagram of the present invention and the conventional blower. It can be known from the diagram that the wind pressure versus wind intensity curve T2 of the present invention is obviously higher than the wind pressure versus wind intensity curve T1 of the conventional blower so that the wind pressure and wind intensity of the present invention are greatly increased.

Moreover, a flow guide passage 414 is defined between each two adjacent blades 41 in communication with the axial space 5 and the receiving space 20 for guiding in the axial flow 6 flowing within the axial space 5. This will be described as follows with the first aspect of projection 42 taken as an example:

Please refer to FIGS. 2A, 2B and 4A. When the blades 41 of the hub 4 operate, the external air is sucked through the wind inlet 31 of the cover body 3 into the axial space 5. Slight air in the wind inlet 31 is guided through the first flow way 43 into the receiving space 20 to restrain the air in the receiving space 20 from escaping out of the receiving space 20. At this time, the axial flow 6 flowing within the axial space 5 is converted into a radial flow 7 under the centrifugal force of the rotating hub 4. The radial flow 7 is thrown out through the flow guide passages 414 between the blades 41 and eventually exhausted from the receiving space 20 through the wind outlet 22. This can effectively enhance the wind pressure and wind intensity as a whole so as to achieve an excellent heat dissipation effect.

Please refer to FIGS. 6 and 6A, which show a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is substantially identical to the first embodiment in structure, connection relationship and effect. The second embodiment is only different from the first embodiment in that the cover body 3 has a lip section 32 formed along the edge of the wind inlet 31 of the cover body 3 opposite to the projections 42. That is, the lip section 32 extends along the edge of the wind inlet 31 and protrudes from the edge toward the receiving space 20. The lip section 32 has a first end face 321 facing the hub 4 and a second end face 322 opposite to the first end face 321.

In this embodiment, the projection 42 has six aspects. FIGS. 6A and 6 show the first aspect. The lip section 32 substantially is in the form of a hook or has a bent form. The projection 42 substantially has a trapezoid form. The projection 42 has a first extension section 421 protruding from the top end 411 of the blade 41 in adjacency to an inner side of the blade 41, that is, one side of the blade 41 proximal to the hub 4. The first extension section 421 protrudes into the wind inlet 31 of the cover body 3.

The first extension section 421 has a first flow guide side 4211 facing the first end face 321. A first flow way 43 is formed between the first flow guide side 4211 and the first end face 321 in communication with the wind inlet 31 and the receiving space 20. The first flow way 43 has an arcuate form. Slight air is guided from the wind inlet 31 of the cover body 3 through the first flow way 43 into the receiving space 20.

In addition, each two adjacent blades 41 are interconnected by a connection section 47. The connection section 47 extends between the top ends 411 of the blades 41 in adjacency to the outer sides thereof. The connection sections 47 are connected in an annular form.

Please refer to FIGS. 6 and 6B. FIG. 6B is a sectional view of a second aspect. The second aspect is only different from the first aspect in that in the second aspect, the lip section 32 and the projection 42 of the first aspect are substantially changed into an inclined form.

FIGS. 6 and 7A show a third aspect in which the lip section 32 substantially is in the form of a hook or has a bent form and the projection 42 substantially has the form of a strip. The projection 42 has a second extension section 423 protruding from the top end 411 of the blade 41 in adjacency to the outer side of the blade 41. The second extension section 423 has a second flow guide side 4231 facing the second end face 322 of the lip section 32. A second flow way 44 is formed between the second flow guide side 4231 and the second end face 322. The second flow way 44 is substantially L-shaped in communication with the wind inlet 31 and the receiving space 20. Slight air in the wind inlet 31 of the cover body 3 is indirectly guided by the second flow guide side 4231 into the second flow way 44 so as to create slight wind pressure in the second flow way 44 to help in preventing the air flowing within the receiving space 20 from escaping out of the wind inlet 31. However, the air in the receiving space 20 is prevented from escaping out of the wind inlet 31 mainly by means of the second extension section 423.

Similar to the second aspect, in the third aspect, each two adjacent blades 41 are interconnected by a connection section 47 in adjacency to the outer sides of the blades 41. The third aspect is different from the second aspect in that the connection sections 47 extend between the top ends 411 of the blades 41 in adjacency to the outer sides of the blades 41 and are connected between the second extension sections 423 of the projections 42 in an annular form.

Please refer to FIGS. 6 and 7B. FIG. 7B is a sectional view of a fourth aspect. The fourth aspect is only different from the third aspect in that in the fourth aspect, the lip section 32 and the projection 42 of the third aspect are substantially changed into an inclined form.

FIGS. 6 and 8A show a fifth aspect, which is a combination of the first and third aspects. In the fifth aspect, the lip section 32 substantially is in the form of a hook or has a bent form. The projection 42 has a first extension section 421 substantially in a trapezoid form and a second extension section 423 substantially in the form of a strip. The first and second extension sections 421, 423 respectively protrude from the top end 411 of the blade 41 in adjacency to the inner and outer sides of the blade 41. The first and second extension sections 421, 423 of the fifth aspect are substantially identical to the first and third aspects in structure, connection relationship and effect and thus will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. The fifth aspect is mainly different from the first and third aspects in that the first and second extension sections 421, 423 together define a substantially U-shaped stop space 46 in communication with the first flow way 43, the second flow way 44 and the wind inlet 31. Slight air in the wind inlet 31 of the cover body 3 is guided through the first flow way 43 into the stop space 46 and the second flow way 44, whereby slight wind pressure is created in the stop space 46 and the second flow way 44 to restrain the air in the receiving space 20 from escaping out of the receiving space 20. The first and second extension sections 421, 423 serve to prevent the air flowing within the receiving space 20 from escaping out of the wind inlet 31.

The connection sections 47 of the fifth aspect are arranged in positions identical to that of the third aspect and thus will not be further described hereinafter.

Please refer to FIGS. 6 and 8B. FIG. 8B is a sectional view of a sixth aspect. The sixth aspect is only different from the fifth aspect in that in the sixth aspect, the lip section 32 and the first and second extension sections 421, 423 of the projection 42 of the fifth aspect are substantially changed into an inclined form.

In practice, the configurations of the lip section 32 and the projection 42 are not limited to the above six aspects. The lip section 32 can be designed with a configuration adapted to or not adapted to that of the projection 42 as necessary to achieve the purpose of preventing the air in the receiving space 20 from escaping.

In conclusion, in the present invention, the frame body 2, the cover body 3 and the hub 4 with the blades 41 having the projections 42 are assembled to achieve the purpose of preventing the air in the receiving space 20 from escaping. Accordingly, the wind pressure and wind intensity are effectively enhanced to achieve an excellent heat dissipation effect. In comparison with the conventional device, the present invention has the following advantages:

1. The wind pressure and wind intensity as a whole are enhanced.

2. An excellent heat dissipation effect is achieved.

3. The air flowing within the receiving space is effectively prevented from escaping out of the wind inlet.

The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. It is understood that many changes and modifications of the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is limited only by the appended claims . 

1. A fan impeller structure comprising: a frame body having a receiving space; a cover body having a wind inlet in communication with the receiving space; and a hub rotatably disposed in the receiving space, the hub having multiple blades annularly arranged on a circumference of the hub, each blade having a top end and a bottom end, the top end having a projection extending from the top end toward the cover body, an axial space being defined between the blades and the hub.
 2. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame body further has a wind outlet in communication with the receiving space.
 3. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover body has a lip section formed along an edge of the wind inlet of the cover body opposite to the projections, the lip section having a first end face facing the hub and a second end face opposite to the first end face.
 4. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the projection has a first extension section protruding from the top end of the blade in adjacency to an inner side of the blade, the first extension section protruding into the wind inlet.
 5. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first extension section has a first flow guide side facing the edge of the wind inlet, a first flow way being formed between the first flow guide side and the edge of the wind inlet in communication with the wind inlet and the receiving space.
 6. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the projection has a second extension section protruding from the top end of the blade in adjacency to the outer side of the blade, the second extension section having a second flow guide side distal from the wind inlet.
 7. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the projection has a first extension section and a second extension section, the first and second extension sections respectively protruding from the top end of the blade in adjacency to the inner and outer sides of the blade, the first extension section protruding into the wind inlet.
 8. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first extension section has a first flow guide side facing the edge of the wind inlet, a first flow way being formed between the first flow guide side and the edge of the wind inlet, the first and second extension sections together defining a stop space in communication with the first flow way and the wind inlet.
 9. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the projections of the top ends of the blades are positioned at intervals or without any interval.
 10. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein each two adjacent blades are interconnected by a connection section, the connection section extending between the top ends of the blades in adjacency to the outer sides thereof, the connection sections being connected in an annular form.
 11. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein each two adjacent blades are interconnected by a connection section, the connection section extending between the top ends of the blades in adjacency to the outer sides thereof, the connection sections being connected between the projections in an annular form.
 12. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein each two adjacent blades are interconnected by a connection section, the connection section extending between the top ends of the blades in adjacency to the outer sides thereof, the connection sections being connected between the projections in an annular form.
 13. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the projection has a first extension section protruding from the top end of the blade in adjacency to an inner side of the blade, the first extension section protruding into the wind inlet.
 14. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first extension section has a first flow guide side facing the first end face, a first flow way being formed between the first flow guide side and the first end face in communication with the wind inlet and the receiving space.
 15. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the projection has a second extension section protruding from the top end of the blade in adjacency to the outer side of the blade.
 16. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 15, wherein the second extension section has a second flow guide side facing the second end face, a second flow way being formed between the second flow guide side and the second end face in communication with the wind inlet and the receiving space.
 17. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the projection has a first extension section and a second extension section, the first and second extension sections respectively protruding from the top end of the blade in adjacency to the inner and outer sides of the blade, the first extension section protruding into the wind inlet.
 18. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first extension section has a first flow guide side facing the edge of the wind inlet, a first flow way being formed between the first flow guide side and the edge of the wind inlet, the first and second extension sections together defining a stop space in communication with the first flow way and the wind inlet.
 19. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein a flow guide passage is defined between each two adjacent blades in communication with the axial space and the receiving space for guiding in an axial flow flowing within the axial space.
 20. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 14, wherein each two adjacent blades are interconnected by a connection section, the connection section extending between the top ends of the blades in adjacency to the outer sides thereof, the connection sections being connected in an annular form.
 21. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 16, wherein each two adjacent blades are interconnected by a connection section, the connection section extending between the top ends of the blades in adjacency to the outer sides thereof, the connection sections being connected between the projections in an annular form.
 22. The fan impeller structure as claimed in claim 18, wherein each two adjacent blades are interconnected by a connection section, the connection section extending between the top ends of the blades in adjacency to the outer sides thereof, the connection sections being connected between the projections in an annular form. 